House Church Australia

House Church Australia: A largely hidden, yet growing phenomenon is changing the face of Christianity in the West and profoundly affecting the way in which Christians are choosing to practice their faith. Disillusioned by the lack of New Testament realities, abusive authority and the spreading apostasy within large segments of institutionalized Christianity, thousands of Christians across America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom are gathering in homes to study the Scriptures together, pray, share the Lord’s Supper and experience the fellowship and simplicity of first century Christianity.

“Yes, we are right now in the midst of the early days of a sovereign, very radical, move of God,” says Nate Krupp, publisher of the book “God’s Simple Plan For His Church” on his home church website, Radical Christianity. “We are seeing God do incredible things: people are leaving the institutional church by the thousands; they are tired of being an audience, instead of a body; they question increasingly all the money that goes into buildings; they are tired of being controlled and manipulated; they long to use their gifts to serve God and see ‘the priesthood of all believers’, instead of ‘the clergy’ and they long to see the Holy Spirit allowed to freely move instead of everything being controlled. God is sovereignly, in these days, raising up a massive, growing movement of people who are desiring to function like the early Christians in the Book of Acts. Believers are turning their backs on all the programs and returning to their first love, Jesus.”

House Church Australia: In a recent interview, Krupp claimed that he committed himself to a return to radical Christianity back in 1966 after a period of serious theological reflection. “After a week of prayer and searching the Scriptures to find out whether God had a plan for his church, I came to some very radical conclusions,” Krupp explains. “God does have a plan for his church. He is calling his people back to the radical Christianity of the New Testament. Since the late 80’s, I have been traveling across the United States and around the world sharing this message.”

Krupp characterizes radical New Testament Christianity as a movement away from clergy-dominated services and programs to mutually participating assemblies of believers, from a gospel of “easy-believism” to the Gospel of the Kingdom, with its call to repentance and submission to Christ as Lord, from one-man leadership to plurality of servant leadership and from gathering in church buildings to gathering in homes. “I do not believe that buildings as sacred places of worship are Biblical,” Krupp maintains. “That is a part of the old economy. When Christ came, he did away with the old economy. The New Testament tells us that we, as the people of God, are now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4 that the time was coming when the worship of God would no longer be confined to or connected with a [sacred] place (i.e. The Temple in Jerusalem). Our whole lifestyle is to be an act of worship.”

James D.G. Dunn, professor of New Testament at the University of Durham, highlights the incident that lead to the irreconcilable breach between Christianity and the predominant Temple-centered Judaism of the mid-first century in his book The Parting of the Ways Between Christianity and Judaism and their Significance for the Character of Christianity. ” It was the Temple, not the claim regarding the messiahship of Jesus as such which led to the hostility against Stephen,” Dunn explains. “When the new teaching was directed against the Temple, the warning lights started to flash. The larger community of Hellenists had invested too much in the Temple to allow any kind of radical criticism of the cult to go unchallenged; and the larger circle of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, including the high priests, depended on the Temple too much in economic and political, as well as religious terms to sit idly by in such circumstances.”

House Church Australia: However, what really infuriated the Jewish religious leaders was Stephen’s bold assertion that ” the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands.” (Acts 7:48) Dunn explains. “The [Greek] adjective chosen, cheiropoieton, ‘made with hands,’ would be a horrifying word to use in this context. Why so? Because that was the word used by Hellenistic Jews to condemn idolatry. For that word to be used of the Temple would certainly have sent shock waves through any Jewish audience… that God’s presence cannot be encapsulated or represented in any physical or man-made entity! &endash; the Temple itself an idol! The Temple was so central for Jewish worship and Jewish identity. Anyone who put forward these views, and in Jerusalem (rather than from the safety of, say, Qumran or Leontopolis) must have enraged a Jewish audience beyond bearing,” Dunn maintains. (Emphasis in original) Outraged by Stephen’s sharp rebuke, the Sanhedrin cast him out of the city and stoned him to death.

What has been the reaction of Christians to Krupp’s radical conclusions, especially his advocacy of house churches? “Generally, they are quite receptive. Quite a number indicate that they have also been considering something similar. I’ve even found unbelievers receptive to the idea. The greatest opposition comes from the clergy,” Krupp explains. “Some react out of insecurity. There is this feeling that ‘you’re leaving us and we will no longer have your tithes, we won’t be able to meet budget.'”

Calvin Guy, one-time Chairman of the Missions Department of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, in an article entitled Pilgrimage Toward The House Church: Controls That Limit the Spread of the Gospel, in discussing the subtle differences between the practice of New Testament Christianity and its contemporary counterpart, writes. “We talk about the church building when we go to the church; they spoke of the congregation that met in someone’s house. {See Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:19, Colossians 4:15 and Philemon 2). Spared both the expense and concern of erecting and maintaining a building, they were soon involved in expending all available funds in loving service to the widows and orphans. Charity was not the incidental, fractional percentage of the budget. It was the budget.” (Emphasis in the original)

Krupp has generally observed two ways in which Christians are choosing to meet together and practice their faith. “Thousands who have left the institutional church are simply worshipping in homes with their families, just a father, mother and children gathering around the headship of Christ. Then there are others who have left and networked with other house churches in an area. Some house churches are being established by church planters, while others are springing up spontaneously. The movement is so large I don’t even try to keep up with it,” he says. “Just look at the number of home church websites on the Internet. It’s phenomenal!”

Jon Zens, editor of the quarterly publication, Searching Together, and another advocate of New Testament church life, has also observed a growing exodus of people from institutional churches across America. “I see three basic phenomena as to why people are exiting the institutional church,” Zen explains. “After years of starving in the institutional church, they leave to find New Testament realities. People study their Bibles and come to perceive a huge chasm between the New Testament and the traditional church and often they leave after the institutional church disregards their pleas for change.”

House Church Australia: If there has been some success with the traditional church model throughout the centuries, why bother to change? “While the traditional one-man, church building model has some visible success, there are many undeniable statistics that point to the reality of such success being short term, ” Zens answered. “Divorce, suicide, nervous breakdown, burnout, etc abound among clergy. The average pastorate in the Southern Baptist Convention is under 18 months. The high-pressure altar call tactics have proven to produce “converts” that rarely last. Even with all the empirical evidence that many things are amuck in the traditional model, the real issue is ‘what does the NT teach?’ If any model contradicts or stifles the New Testament pattern, it should be jettisoned for such reasons alone. The early church had no clergy and no sacred buildings, and in this regard was radically different from all other religions, including Judaism. The proliferation of expensive church buildings constitutes a fundamental compromise of what Christ intended to build. Thus, believers gathering in informal settings [in] homes, rented store-fronts, outdoors and apartments apparently provides the best context for the 58 “one anothers” [in the Bible] to be fleshed out.”

House Church Australia

Certainly, the writers of the New Testament seem to have had a clearer understanding of what truly constitutes “the church”, something that is foreign to most Christians today. They referred to the people of God as God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:9, Ephesians 2:19-22), God’s temple (1 Corinthians 3:16-17), God’s house (1 Timothy 3:15, Hebrews 3:6, 10:21, 1 Peter 2:17), God’s household (Ephesians 2:19, Galatians 6:10) and Christ’s body (Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:12, Ephesians 3:6, 5:23, 30). Christians in the New Testament didn’t go to church. They were the church! They were God’s building! They were God’s temple! As Howard Snyder states succinctly in The Problem of Wineskins Today ” A church building cannot properly be “the Lord’s house” because in the new covenant this title is reserved for the church as people. So, if church buildings have any justification, it can only be practical &endash; simply a place to meet and carry on essential functions, as necessary.”

House Church Australia: In an article entitled Four Tragic Shifts in the Visible Church, 180-400 A.D., Zens writes. “Some assert that since the early church met primarily in homes, we are obliged to emulate this example. I think the primary theological point of the New Testament in this regard is that under the New Covenant there are no holy places. Contemporary Christianity has almost no grasp of this significant point. Taking a cue from the Old Covenant, people are still lead to believe that a church building is ‘the house of God.’ Believers are free to meet any place in which they can foster, cultivate and attain the goals set before them by Christ. The problem today is that many church structures neither promote nor accomplish Christ’s desires for His body. Homes are a neutral place for believers to meet, and the early church flourished well into the first and second centuries without erecting any temple-like edifices. But the issue is still not in what type of place believers gather, but what shape their committed life together takes as they wrestle with the many duties and privileges flowing out of the priesthood of all believers.”

Christian Smith, writing in the journal Voices In The Wilderness, develops this theme further. “God intends church to be a community of believers in which each member contributes their special gift, talent, or ability to the whole, so that, through the active participation and contribution of all, the needs of the community are met. In other words, what we ought to see in our churches is ‘the ministry of the people,’ not ‘the ministry of the professional.’ The role of the clergy is essentially the centralization and professionalization of the gifts of the whole body into one person. The problem is that, regardless of what our theologies tell us about the purpose of clergy, the actual effect of the clergy profession is to make the body of Christ lame. This happens not because clergy intend it (they usually intend the opposite) but because the objective nature of the profession inevitably turns the laity into passive receivers.”

House Church Australia: This fact is borne out in such passages as Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12, and in 1 Corinthians 14:26 which states. “What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” Ministry in the New Testament church was not centered on one man, but involved each member of the “ecclesia” as a functioning “priest” (1 Peter 2: 5, 9) under the headship of Christ and directed by the Holy Spirit exercising his/her gift for the mutual edification of the body.

In his widely acclaimed 8-volume set, History of the Christian Church, Philip Schaff dates the separation of Christians into clergy and laity distinctions to the third century. “During the third century it became customary to apply the term ‘priest’ directly and exclusively to the Christian ministers especially the bishops. In the same manner the whole ministry, and it alone, was called ‘clergy,’ with a double reference to its presidency and its peculiar relation to God. It was distinguished by this name from the Christian people or ‘laity.’ In the apostolic church preaching and teaching were not confined to a particular class, but every convert could proclaim the gospel to unbelievers, and every Christian according to their grace quotient, could pray and teach and exhort in the congregation. The New Testament knows no spiritual aristocracy or nobility, but calls all believers ‘saints’ though many fall far short of their vocation,” Schaff writes. “Nor does it recognize a special priesthood in distinction from the people, as mediating between God and the laity. It knows only one high-Priest, Jesus Christ, and clearly teaches the universal priesthood, as well as universal kingship of believers.” (See 1 Peter 2:5,9; Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6)

According to Zens, a number of institutional churches are moving away from clergy driven hierarchical structures and promoting ‘the priesthood of all believers,’ in order to address these concerns. “The phenomenon has already, I believe, caused traditional churches to reconsider the functionality of their structures. In the past 20 years, there has been a plethora of books advocating fewer clergy and more priesthood. Larry Richards’ New Face for The Church was probably one of the first attention-getting books in this regard. And Howard Snyder’s The Problem of Wineskins was another landmark volume. Some institutional churches sense that something is wrong, so during the week, they break up the large numbers into smaller house or cell groups.”

A number of observers suggest that the movement back to the simplicity and intimacy of New Testament Christianity is a part of God’s overall plan to prepare the church for difficult days ahead.

House Church Australia: Al Dager, in a recent issue of Media Spotlight, writes. “Recognizing that there are some churches whose leadership are operating with servant’s hearts and godly spirits, we nevertheless have concluded that the vast majority of churches are leaning toward the one-world, ecumenical religious system that ultimately will be the only one sanctioned by governments around the world. Those who resist the politically correct standards of the world’s religious community will eventually be forced to conform or lose their tax-exempt status. It is because perilous times are upon us that the Church must begin to look anew at its form and function. While the present forms and functions have served since the Reformation, they will prove inadequate, and in some cases, even dangerous to the spiritual and temporal benefit of Christ’s body. We are witnessing the beginning of the Underground Church in America – a church that will take lessons from the brethren who have survived in other countries where Faith has been and is still persecuted. If we in the West think we will escape what our brethren have suffered for centuries merely because we trust that ‘things like that can never happen in America,’ we are closing our eyes to reality. The persecution will come from our own households and from the churches themselves.”

Unfortunately, Zens points out that Christians who follow their convictions and leave the institutional church to experience New Testament church life can expect to be misunderstood. “When believers leave the institutional church, friends and family often misunderstand and react negatively. The institutional church leaders often treat with disdain those who exit, and label them ‘rebels’. The institutional church is an intimidating entity. If you leave it, people equate it with leaving Christ. We live in Minnesota, which is very Lutheran and people view us as being quite strange,” he says laughing. “We’ve been labeled a cult and all that, but the way to show people that you are not a cult is by being non-sectarian.”

It’s amazing that a practice that is so clearly revealed in the New Testament has today been vilified by Christians, who react more out of fear and a sense of loyalty to tradition than a commitment to Biblical truth. Christians in the Greco-Roman world of the first century met in homes and Paul’s letters in the New Testament were addressed to house churches. In fact, the very first church established on European soil was in the town of Philippi in the home of Lydia, a successful businesswoman from Thyatira. (Acts 16:15) Paul, in his epistles to the Christians in Rome, Corinth and Colossae exhorts them to greet churches that met in the homes of fellow believers. (Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15)

House Church Australia: The frequently quoted scriptural admonition about “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” used to foster guilt upon the consciences of Christians who no longer view the church as a “building”, but as “the people of God,” in its proper context, refers to Jewish Christians who were considering forsaking Christianity and returning to Judaism in order to avoid persecution. So the author of the book to the Hebrews (Jewish Christians) was exhorting them not to cease assembling together in their home fellowships since the early Christians had no specially designated church buildings in which to hold meetings at that time. As Craig S. Keener points out in The IVP Bible Background Commentary-New Testament, “Believers met in homes rather than church buildings for the first three centuries of the church.” This later changed in 312 AD when the Emperor Constantine came to power and made institutional Christianity the state religion in Rome, converting pagan temples into Christian churches, while using state funds to support the clergy.

Howard Snyder, in his provocative book Radical Renewal: The Problem of Wineskins Today, proposes that the church adopt the radical ecclesiology of the first century to impact the world with the life-transforming message of the gospel. “A Biblical conception of the church will make it clear that the church is essential to the gospel, for it is the body of Christ,” Snyder writes. “At the same time, it will be clear that human institutions and structures are not themselves the church; they are not hallowed. These are days when Christians must be clear about what the church is and what it is not. Just as many false Christs will come in the last days, so many counterfeit and apostate “churches” will litter the spiritual landscape. The church must be prepared, both as persons and as the Christian community, for the lash of persecution and the lure of the antichrist. This means the necessity for doctrinal clarity and authentic community – for both orthodoxy of belief and orthodoxy of community. Under the threat of persecution, life in community becomes both more difficult and more essential. Thus the priorities of structures which are flexible, mobile, inconspicuous, and not building-centered.”

House Church Australia: Asked whether the house church movement is simply another religious fad that people will soon tire of, Zens had this to say. “No, I don’t think it will ever be just a fad for several reasons. One, it’s been around a long time. There was a significant home church movement in Australia beginning in 1968. Obviously, for years home meetings have been the norm in China, Latin America and other places in the world. Two, it has New Testament justification and sanction, and so could hardly be a fad. If persecution erupts in America, the house church model could suddenly be very common, as churches that require immense weekly overhead to operate could fold virtually overnight. I think it will take catastrophic events to awaken the church to what is important in the Kingdom. If and when that happens, the shape of believers’ lives together will change rapidly. As long as our affluence continues, the informal approach to church will remain. But whether something is minority or majority is hardly the issue. Our concern must be, ‘how will we follow Christ in all areas of our lives? Are we going to obey the New Testament or not? One brother in our assembly has said, ‘our way of doing church is not popular. It requires hard work and commitment.’ The home church movement, of course, is not monolithic,” Zens pointed out. “I have no idea where it will go in the next five years. But I know this, no movement will prosper long if it does not center on exalting Jesus Christ and obeying His Word.”

by Lorin Smith

This two part article appeared in Bermuda’s daily newspaper,The Royal Gazette.

Christian Churches in Australia

House Church Australia

House Church Australia

After many years working as a mariner and sea captain I began tinkering with early web design and linux web hosting servers whilst on leave. It turned into a post maritime career option. I now serve as a Co-Elder in a Church family situated in Central Highlands of Victoria Australia. Comments are enthusiastically welcomed below via the "Leave a Reply" form. PS. I am still tinkering....!

90 Responses

There are still good churches out there but I have seen myself some preachers that really have said some ridiculous and to me offensive things. If you can’t find the church for you though I don’t see how god would disapprove worshipping at home.

My husband and I came back to Melbourne after a few years in Texas, USA. We live in Diamond Creek, VIC. Desperately looking to join a house church close by or start one ourselves at our home. We did a house church in Texas. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. We miss our house church so badly. We are both gifted in teaching, and I love intercession.

Hi all,
Wondering if anyone is interested in home church in Brisbane. My family and I live in Salisbury and Annerley (inner South side). I’ve found Pagan Christianity and Reimagining Church by Frank Viola thought provoking books.
Please msg me 0422 815 425 if you’re interested to talk.
Thanks,
Fran

Hello Michael. Greetings. I was referred to your website and to you by an apostle friend whom I met in Siaya Kenya, and participated in his apostolic meetings. After listening to my own transition from the famed charismatic and Pentecostal church system to the apostolic revelation and practice, our hearts seemed to be in synch. After visiting this page, I’m blessed and encouraged. Blessed by the increasing reception of the practice of the house church and encouraged to know that we’re not alone. I’ve practised the house church since 2002, when I first received this clear understanding.

Today, we have church in our house, which we call the apostolic house. Saints join my family every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday for fellowship, discipleship and worship, even as we share and care for one another. The practice of the house church is not popular in Kenya but there are those who are slowly seeing the truth and the practice in the Scriptures.

I thank God for apostle Karrel Sanders for introducing me to you. This is the family of God among whom I belong.

Greetings Peter, Thanks so much for taking the time to connect. I too have been on a journey since around 2002. I belong to a wonderful world wide Apostolic Family which is growing, both in character and the understanding of the Kingdom.
The great transition from the church age to the Kingdom age is making its way into the spirits of the people of God. It is a wonderful thing see and be apart of.

The following quote was authored by Billy Graham in the year 1965. Is his prediction coming to pass in our time?

“Multitudes of Christians within the church are moving toward the point where they may reject the institution that we call the church. They are beginning to turn to more simplified forms of worship. They are hungry for a personal and vital experience with Jesus Christ. They want a heartwarming personal faith. Unless the church quickly recovers its authoritative Biblical message, we may witness the spectacle of millions of Christians going outside the institutional church to find spiritual food. Quoted in “World Aflame,” pp. 79-80

My husband and I were in a home church in Beckenham W.A. for years but after more than 30 years of hosting the fellowship the lady of the house became too ill for it to continue. We’ve been waiting and praying for a long time for it to start again but decided it’s time to find somewhere else. We live SOR in Armadale. 0439478339

Hi Michael, thanks for replying. My husband and I will pray about your suggestion of hosting the church. The brother that started the home church in Beckenham (who now cares for his wife) knew his bible so well that if anyone had questions he would know where to direct us to find answers in our bibles. He was definitely gifted with teaching but my husband hasn’t received that gift and I know it’s not my place to teach. If it’s what Our Lord wants for us to host then He will provide for the needs of His church. Praise God

We have had Church in my shop in Wundowie West. Aust. Michael. From what I have seen in the hills area of Perth people are getting fed up with some of the main stream Churches. One Church I was going to a few years back folded up and others are close to it. We still have a good Pastor ready to lead and all that’s needed to form a home/shop church. We stopped a while back due to lack of attendance and the Pastors wife becoming ill. If you have enough requests for a home Church in this area we can certainly start up again and cater for specific needs such as service times etc. after talking to interested parties.

Hey Brent,
Thanks for commenting, we do encourage it. I raced Karts at your local go kart track many years ago, nice place in the world is Wundowie.
Thanks for the offer on house church. We are encouraging users to explore our web site members area for spiritual food and to hear His voice clearly. Although our article on House Church Australia has sparked much conversation, my immediate thought on people leaving traditional church is What are they doing now?
As a Governing Co Elder in God’s House in my local geography, it is not so much for me to feed the people, but to lead them to green pastures. Thats one of the mindsets He has transitioned my out of, its also the way I see my function on this web site sometimes.
God has not stopped speaking, we must continue to walk in obedience to His voice. God is a speaking spirit and is still walking in the midst of the garden and is there for all who have an ear to hear.
It is true that many have found the Lord again in house church style meetings, but the principle of leadership in God’s House still apply. The Five Fold ministry gifts are actually arising in our meetings and are growing in stature like never before. Gods people are being changed and transitioning in their mindset to what the Lord is doing now, not what he was doing yesterday.
True he has not changed, nor will he change. His ways are above our ways. But I and others have settled this in our spirit now.
He is on a journey through eternity and is up to us to follow Him were ever he may lead us!

I have been involved in OIKOS for over ten years. This is a house church resource movement that was originally started by a former Anglican minister (female) by the name of Bessie Pereira, who left the institutional church because she believed that the New Testament model was nothing like today’s version of ‘church’. Sadly, Bessie died several years ago, and most of the house churches that I had in my data base no longer exist – unless they’ve gone ‘under the radar’. Now I believe God is drawing me back into this ‘house church’ model, and I’m hoping to find people in my area who are interested. It’s only in the past week that I’ve begun to realize God is prompting me to go ahead and take a bold step of faith. I’d be interested to hear if anyone in the Mount Eliza area (an outer southern suburb of Melbourne next to Frankston) is interested in being involved. At present nothing is planned such as a suitable home, etc) – but I’d love to hear from anyone who feels this may be the way to go. I have had experience in leadership in denominational churches, home fellowship groups and house churches – although that’s not important. In fact it’s often easier to start with mainly new Christians rather than those who have become disillusioned with the traditional ‘church’ over the years, and/or have come up with their own version of what should happen!
Anyway, I’ll become a member of this group for a start, so that possibilities can be discussed. Or if you’re on Facebook Messenger you can find me there. https://www.facebook.com/ea.johnstone (Ann Johnstone)

I am interested in a Home Church? Years ago i left the Pentalcostal movement due to personal issues , it was i guess similar to Word of Faith , (Richmond Assembly of God) which if i walked in there now is extremely similar to Hillsong… after everything i have researched, no it is not a good fit, at all. Unfortunately i went further on into the New Age movement and now i am seriously thinking about christianity again but the churches are so New Age these days bordering on satanic. I am looking for a home church I am in the Doncaster Vic, area? Please pray for me so that i can in this interim time grow in my faith in God, getting to know Jesus again. Blessings for this website..

I have read through this blog and some stories blessed me in hearing your passion and hope for good things. So I thought it would be good too share a few things also.

I grew up in a Christian home and was very involved in a Baptist church, looking back now I can see that In my mind I desired too do the will of God according to his word but the power to perform it I didn’t have and couldn’t earn. I did not yet know the grace of God which he has given in his Son.
It was about 5 years ago the Lord called me by his grace and revealed his Son in me! For the first time I was free to serve God not as I once did by seeking to create my own righteousness, but through the righteousness which is of God by Faith! I had peace 🙂

It was after this I leaned there where many struggles that come with remaining in the Love of God, this came from friends, family, church etc. but I have also found that In the Lord their is a friend that is closer than a brother, and the Lord puts the lonely into families and their is one Church indeed. It seems this blog is very aware that church isn’t a place, or a group of people intellectually agreeing on a statement of faith, but the Church is made up of those who have fellowship with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. There is One Spirit that those who belong too he Lord drink of, there is one Lord, one Faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in them all!:) Bless the Lord, I am encouaraged.

If there is anyone here in Western Australia that would like someone to talk about the Lord with, my wife and I live in Bassendean and would love too here from you and Lord willing catch up. My number is 0401 177 591.

Hi Michael,
I’d just like to say thanks for maintaining this blog and comments feed as a means of contact. I did get in touch with David H and his wife some 2 weeks ago and after some discussion, ended up at their place today for lunch and a time of fellowship.

We had a time of sharing around the Bible from around mid morning and then a BBQ lunch “under the house” – sort of an ‘underground church meeting’ if you like! It was nice and cool down there with the breeze, despite Brisbane’s current heat and rained in weather. We talked and shared until the late afternoon. We talked a lot about our past experiences within the church scene and also our hopes for the future, in view of the state of our nation and of the world in general. I must say that it was well worth the effort to travel and spend the time with these two saints.

I’d also like to say that I’m encouraged to have met these people through the Lampstand blog and that it just goes to show that there are true believers seeking fellowship with others in this city of Brisbane. Small is probably a good way to start and I don’t know what the future holds for us, but I just want to say to everyone that comes across your blog from time to time, to not give up, but to persevere in your search for genuine fellowship with others who are like minded.

Greetings in the PRECIOUS NAME OF YESHUA.
Please help ! I am looking for a precious place that I can belong to and simply worship our PRECIOUS LORD GOD AND SAVIOUR, our PRECIOUS JESUS !!!
Please be free to contact me??
Julie 93842252 .
I am in the area of W.A. 6012

I truly know that that there is a believing home church in this area …
May it be established !!!

Hi Michael
A friend sent me your article and I would like to visit the house church in Perth. Can you please send me the address. I am happy to open my house up to a group also if anyone is interested please let me know. I live South of the river in Belmont.

Hi, I searched for gatherings of Gods people when I first arrived in Perth 7 years ago and did come across something but didnt get follow up of it. I was blessed to grow up in 70s and 80s in both constitutional church and where two or more are gathered He is in the midst of and they are so different and of course gathering together without the politics is where His Spirit can freely move. I have a link here from John Fenn talking with aminutetomidnite to add to this thread for those interested which I just came across this year as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydEt7A1Xl64. John Fenn has more on his website and youtube channel. In the 90s a guy wrote about this very thing of house church and was sharing it in New Zealand and most there, which were few were only searching for somewhere else to be fed and not grow but I mean thats the control thats been instilled to keep people from knowing the full truth but I do think there is fear to be free and to be guided by Christ alone. I am interested to know if there are any gatherings South of the river in Perth.
Thank you.

Hi Michael
We have just realised that because of disillusionment with organised religion we wish to either join a home church of on fire christians or start one in our area. We live in country Victoria in Bass a town near Phillip Island. Any help you can give would be appreciated greatly
Ross and Tracey

Hi Michael, thanks for this article. I live in Adelaide, South Australia. My husband and I have experienced many of the problems that you write about with institutional church life over 35 + years. We withdrew our feet from these institutions about 10 years ago, believing the Lord had directed us thus. Consequently, we went on a journey with the Lord. He blessed our fellowship together and took us more deeply into His Word, His Character and Nature. We fellowshipped around the Word with anyone who was happy to drop by. We were free in the Spirit. If we could have found a home fellowship that was bible centered, and had a Christian world, where one knew them by their fruits, we would have gladly joined ourselves with them. However, this did not happen and after searching in our corner of the vineyard for a home fellowship it appeared there were none. Though we felt alone at times, we were not lonely nor felt forsaken because we had beautiful fellowship with each other and Jesus. My husband passed suddenly and peacefully this year, 2017, he was 72. He ran the race he begun around 1964 and finished the course and although I thought we ran side by side, he was ahead of me and I realised we must all run our own race in the end (I was blessed to have him part of the way).
So here I am alone, but not lonely with Jesus, and fellowship with the body is scarce. It would be wonderful to find a home fellowship in my area. if you hear of any true fellowships could you let me know?
God bless, Janet

I live in the Cairns area and am also wondering if there is a home church in Cairns area. I believe it is more biblical to just meet in one another’s homes instead of the impersonal groups that meet at a ‘building’ call it church and the believer seems to be more of a spectator than an active member of the body of Christ.

Hi Jan,
My friend Miriam and I live in Edmonton and we are seeking to start a home gathering. We love practicing the Lord’s Table the way it was practiced in the New Testament. We believe all God’s people are the church and, as the priesthood of all believers, everyone has a valuable testimony/teaching/song/word of encouragement which needs to be shared with the rest of the body. We would love to meet with you in the near future.

Hey Michael it’s Kaz here. I was just reading about house churches and came across your face. ? I was trying to find out if there were any operating in Geraldton. My sister Donna is interested to find out. Are you guys doing anything in Geraldton? Hope all is well with you please give our love to Jen. X
Kaz

Hi I live in Perth and would be interested in finding any home churches in Perth.I am a commited christian since the 70 s although have not always been as commited as I am now.Would like to fellowship with like minded believers Godbless Elaine

We have had Church in my shop in Wundowie West. Aust. Micheal. From what I have seen in the hills area of Perth people are getting fed up with some of the main stream Churches. One Church I was going to a few years back folded up and others are close to it. We still have a good Pastor ready to lead and all that’s needed to form a home/shop church. We stopped a while back due to lack of attendance and the Pastors wife becoming ill. If you have enough requests for a home Church in this area we can certainly start up again and cater for specific needs such as service times etc. after talking to interested parties.

I agree with most of this article. However ,after leaving denominations I found it very difficult to even find house churches. Sometimes they can be a closed group and church today has become a distrusting people often suspicious of others. In recent history scandals and anti christian motives have been emphasised. However this cannot stop the Truth of the Apostolic Faith message as its historically true. Jesus was the Messiah and was raised from the dead by the God of Israel . There is only One Church in Gods plan .The true Jew is one inwardly of the heart of Faith. To be Baptised and receive the gift of Holy Spirit is all you need to be accepted. Thats what make one a part of the Church. The life you continue to live is a journey of Revelation in Gods power. Traditions of men ,and legalistic Doctrine in church history often robes believers of the true call of God.

Hi folks. I’ve not been able to find a decent church here in Brisbane for the last 2 years. I have attended several home church gatherings prior to that time, but they no longer exist, as those running them have sold out to the denominations where their business interests have taken them. There’s not much online in terms of new groups and those that had websites several years have disappeared. Quite often, such groups are many miles away – too far to travel, and you could never consider yourself a member of a local home church if you spent hours travelling to and from such a group.

I live in inner Brisbane and am seeking genuine fellowship only – no “churchianity” for me…

I’d like to stay in touch via the blog site, and feel free Mr/Mrs Moderator to contact me via my email if you can help

I live on the northern outskirts of Brisbane at North Lakes. I’ve been searching for a house church locally for years and found one at Burpengary where the people were crawling around the house floor and barking like dogs. That wasn’t for me. I wrote about it in ‘Charismatic chaos in a Brisbane house church’ on my homepage.

I’m still at the searching stage. I am tired of the programme-based, building oriented church. It’s time for a return to the organic church of the first century, where every member is a minister and people are not told to sit and listen while a few perform.

I have replied to Austins message, Jane and I are in Northgate, near the airport. We would like to make contact if possible, There wouldn’t be that many of us in Brisbane, but I’m wishing there is lol. you never know if all of us get together something might happen, !!!!!! My mobile is in my reply to Austen,
David

Austin,
It was so good to read your message in House Church Australia. I see you use the term “CHURCHIANITY” as well. It is so descriptive of what it is based in . Jane and I are in Northgate, near the airport. My mobile is 0403881659. Would like to get in contact if possible, you never know something might eventuate. I am unemployed (58) and jane works f/t in an auto parts warehouse.

I have loved the concept of home churches for many years, and really applaud the sentiments expressed here. I see small groups, such as those described by Juan Carlos Ortiz in his classic book ‘Disciple’ – loving, nurturing and caring for one another – the only way we’ll truly grow to maturity, spiritually. It’s possible to attend ‘church’ for a myriad of years and never get beyond the ‘hello, how are you stage?’ If anyone knows of a home church movement in Launceston, Tasmania, where Jesus is preeminent, I would love to know of, and be a part of it, God willing. Thanks heaps! Judy

Amen! Bless you all for providing this information! May the Lord God abundantly bless and prosper you as you continue to serve in the name of His Lordship- Jesus Christ. Our family has just been moved out of another Pentecostal Church by the Holy Spirit of God who resides inside of each of us. I understand the persecution that pursues when one doesn’t conform to the standards set by a religious spirit. This nasty religious spirit likes to manifest itself even in the Leadership of Pentecostal churches. My husband and I are currently really seeking God on matters pertaining to the state of the church in Australia as it breaks our hearts to see how the religious spirit causes such division amongst all of His people. We do not believe that God wants us to be members of any particular church at this point of time but we know- deep within our spirits that God has called the two of us into ministry. We are looking forward to reading more information on this page and thank the Lord for the encouragement that has come our way today simply from the reading of this one page. WE just praise the Lord God almighty that there are so many people who are willing to fight in the spiritual battle against satan and win the victory! I hope that this comment that I have written encourages you too. As true followers of Christ- all of us need all of the encouragement that we can get. We look forward to following this page and seeing what God can teach us through the information contained here.

Psalm 47:9 The Passion Translation of the Bible
All the nobles and princes,
the loving servants of the God of Abraham,
they all gather to worship.
Every warrior’s shield is now lowered
as surrendered trophies before this King.
He has taken his throne, high and lofty exalted over all!

I totally agree with the fact that God is gathering his true elect out of dead denominations…. Mainly because God has been pushed out of the structure of the Church. The Holy Spirit has been resisted and pushed into a corner. The full use of the body can’t be made. It’s like a paralysed human body. It’s like SAUL of the Old Testament after God had rejected him.That’s what the structured church is presenting to God. So the Holy Spirit says come out of her, She would have been healed, but she has refused to be healed. David is a type of those who come out. Those that followed DAVID became captains during his reign while Jonathan died with SAUL. Those who will reign with Christ must also follow him outside the Camp of religion characterized by one man headship doctrine. Which is Saulish.
In Nigeria simple house Churches emerged as back as the late 70s and mainly in the 80s . And to the glory of God many have seen the light and can no longer go back to Babylonic bondage . It’s an upward call to the glories of Christ. Keep pressing on Brethren

Hi, are you aware of any house churches in NSW on the Far South Coast?
We currently fellowship at home and are interested to know if there is anyone near us we could meet with. Thanks, God bless you and draw you close to Himself.

An interesting topic Michael. In Perth, I don’t really know of many house churches. My understanding of the New Testament model was that the christians were being fed to the lions, so they met in houses. From the New Testament model, Apostles plant churches. When we got saved in Broome, the church was planted by Pastor Rod, and came under Frank Hultgren. One issue that I am seeing in Perth, is we know two ladies who don’t go to a church, but watch Kenneth Copeland on T.V. and so I wonder how does that constitute fellowship. One of them goes over east every year to attend Kenneth Copeland Outreaches. God has an army, and he has order in his army, so as long as you are being led by the Spirit, then you are sons of God. I read recently of a Lecturer at Bible College who shared something to his students. It was a statement attributed to a Rev Sam Pascoe and referred to the history of the church in short. He said: Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship. It moved to Greece and became a philosophy, it moved to Italy and became an Institution, it moved to Europe and became a culture, it came to America and became an Enterprise. It is supposed to be a Body, but has become a Business. One student then asked the question: When a body becomes a business, doesn’t it then become a Prostitute? There was silence in the class. God’s Blessings.

Greetings Chris, Yes we experienced something quite different in Broome, well compared to what I see now in the body it was very different up in Broome. One thing I notice is the closeness we had and how the Lord moved in us and took most of us on to perfection. We are still being perfected however the way it was done and the way brother rasp and sister sand paper. The business that it has become has sure made a big difference, if I could out it down to one thing, it has produced many believers but not so many disciples.

Would the apostle approve of your denomination’s practices? Or is it just possible that he would tell you that some of your most cherished beliefs were in ERROR? How would you feel if he stood up and loudly proclaimed that your church was a promoter of HERESY? What if he said that your religious practices were totally CONTRARY to those of the early church formed immediately after the death of Jesus Christ?

Greetings Toby, Our Apostolic father did all those things you mention above to us. But would like to say that he did them in a very loving and respectful manner. Over time he has and continues to correct us lead to the path of life with the Five Fold Ministry being raised up in our midst. We are Sons of God, not so much Christians anymore.
Michael and Jennifer.

Dear Men of God, I am particularly happy when I study your wonderful works you are a great blessing to me here in Africa. I have been following your programs and l am proud, I wish that the whole body of Christ could encounter with you what I have encountered, such a blessing. The eBook programm is most credible and easy to be understand and follow. Thanks to you and thanks your spiritual Dads and Mums.

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